Thursday’s non-appeal let a federal judge’s order take effect, ending enforcement of registration rules for suppressors, short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns for the lawsuit’s parties.
The August 5 Texas ruling said the National Firearms Act’s registration scheme could not stand after Republicans cut the law’s long-standing $200 tax to $0.
Rep. Andrew Clyde, who pushed that tax rollback and later led 47 House Republicans urging no appeal, called the outcome a major Second Amendment victory.
Brady condemned the move, saying the administration failed to block deregulation of weapons and devices it called uniquely lethal for the first time in nearly a century.
The order is not a nationwide injunction, leaving broader legal and regulatory uncertainty even as gun-rights groups press for wider wins.
How will the sudden removal of federal taxes reshape the legal landscape for owning previously restricted firearms?
With the initial deadline missed, what legal strategies might be deployed during the remaining 52-day appeal window?
Could this court ruling create a blueprint for dismantling other federal regulations by eliminating their underlying taxes?
The 2025–2026 Federal Gun Deregulation Wave: How Trump-Era Rollbacks, Supreme Court Rulings, and State Resistance Are Reshaping America’s Firearms Landscape
Overview
After Donald Trump returned to the White House, his administration launched a sweeping deregulatory wave that reversed Biden-era gun control measures and reshaped the ATF. Major actions included legalizing forced reset triggers, eliminating the $200 NFA tax, and allowing private gun sales without background checks. These changes were driven by gun-lobby advocacy and enabled by recent Supreme Court rulings that set a strict historical standard for gun laws. As a result, federal courts struck down many regulations, and gun rights groups challenged the remaining laws. This rapid deregulation triggered legal battles with states and raised concerns about public safety and illegal gun trafficking.